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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · saw · lean · board · bass · ball · craft · row

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. board — a committee
  6. row — a line
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bass — low music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bass — the fish
  13. craft — boats
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bank — for money
  20. board — to get on
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ball — a dance
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com